Some of you may not know this, but Google has already developed their own operating system. Though still in beta, the concept is indeed highly appealing. The main idea behind this new OS is that normal operating systems take a long time to boot up, and a good majority of users spend most of their time on the internet as is, so why not simply do away with the whole start up process and boot directly into the internet. This is exactly what Chromium OS does. Chromium OS is an operating system centered entirely around creating the optimal browsing experience for a user. It allows you to boot up your computer instantly and access the internet. With the increasing number and variety of web applications, it is no longer unreasonable to spend most of your time computing online. Google docs and the Chrome web store further allow a user to transfer tasks normally performed on a desktop to the online world.
So now Google says, why stop at just an operating system? Why not sell computers built with Chromium OS installed, and other desirable features for the user on the go. Thus, the advent of the Chromebook. It sounds very interesting, a computer that can start up instantly and access the web, all while supporting a 3G network connection so you can have internet anywhere you go. Plus, you wouldn’t have to worry about viruses since you’re basically only running Chrome. Other Google apps even allow you to create a virtual database of your music online*. It’d be the ultimate portable experience!
Now I’m a Google fan boy, I would probably sell them my soul/house/dog if they asked. When I first saw this, I was basically foaming at the mouth and prepared to fly to California to give them all my money. However, there is a catch. Putting aside the fact that this won’t be available in Canada for some time, the two announced Chromebook models are surprisingly undesirable. Firstly, neither are tablets*, rather, they are a Samsung Series 5 and an Acer 3G. A cursory glance over the specifications reveals nothing particularly eye-popping, though one could argue that high performance models are unnecessary based on the uses of a Chromebook. Alright, why not, but then surely the prices would be low. Well that’s where you’d be wrong, approximately $500 wrong to be exact. But then, of course, the battery life must be phenomenal right? You’d be wrong again, a paltry 6-8 hours for both, though the Chromebook website says that they will last a day on a single charge. I guess one of the new features of the Chromebook is distorting spacetime, so that the length of a day can be cut by two thirds. Cool.
My verdict? Enormous potential, but needs a lot of work. In its current stage, buying a Chromebook is simply illogical. You can pay less money for a computer with better specs, and just have it in standby mode whenever you aren’t using it. Sure you wouldn’t have 24/7 internet but you could always get a rocket stick or some such. Personally, I wouldn’t pay much more than $250 unless they make some serious changes.
Verdict:
- Brilliant idea – needs work
- Longer battery life
- Cheaper price
- Better specs
- Availability in Canada
- More models
*http://music.google.com/about/
*D: x 100000
http://www.google.com/chromebook/#
